[Aaron Novick]

I give you all the credit.

I did also get completely and utterly schooled, I mean just flat out demolished, by a bottle of seltzer water this morning, so it wasn't all good.

[John Isbell]

That sounds like a good day, Aaron. Congratulations!

Cheers,
John

[Ann Drysdale]

It is raining. Proper rain, steady and persistent. Oh, happy me.

It was worth almost severing my right tit to repair the leaky lower spigot in my biggest water butt. All jury rigged with plastic bits from the recycling bin and consolidated with candlewax. The level is now way past it and rising. Rising!

[John Isbell]

A Dubliner told me they went forty days without rain this summer, the hottest since 1976. I'm glad you've got some rain.

Cheers,
John

[Terese Coe]

Rain, rain, thunder and lightning! I'm happy for Jayne, Ann, and all the formerly parched Brits here now that it's streaming down your windows! Someone very close to me had her house endangered by the Colorado fires for weeks and, in addition to a fire break dug around their town, the rain fell and put out the rest of the fires. Such a great ending to a deadly story... now we need to hope for California's relief as well.

My good news? Was entranced by a concert of Sufi songs a few nights ago, outdoors at Poets House, nyc. It was superb! A spiritual high and totally beyond words. Good crowd there too, sitting on the rocks of beautiful Teardrop Park in Battery Park City (as well as on chairs). Only a 1/2 block from the Hudson, behind the Poets House building, with delicious breezes. Fortunately musician-singer-translator (from the Persian) Amir Vihab also provided commentary and some of the Persian words/lines plus some English translations. Would love for Poets House to have more events like this. Here's more about it: http://citylore.org/event/sufi-songs...t-poets-house/

[Michael F]

Terese, that sounds like a marvelous evening! I adore the Sufi poets I know. I haven't read Taher or Yunus Emre, but I must get around to them. Lucky you!

[John Isbell]

It does sound lovely. Sadly my impression of Sufism these days is one of persecution:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Sufis

Cheers,
John

[Jim Moonan]

Just think of a world that some day is a blend of the best cultural expressions and practices and art. I would come back for that : )

[Mark McDonnell]

Well, I finally met a Spherian in the flesh when Ann Drysdale took a little road/rail trip to visit my neck of the woods on Tuesday. I made her a veggie chilli and took her to the pub. It was lovely. And she is lovely.

[Ann Drysdale]

Ah, but that too, too solid Spherian flesh almost resolved itself into a dew under the influence of good grub, plum porter and excellent company, so this is my good news, too.